


An Android’s Guide to Becoming Human

by VastDelusion



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game), Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Detroit: Become Human, Android!Percy, Androids, Bonding!, Bookstore Owner!Nico, Cuddling, Deviants, Fluff, Hades hates androids, I wanted Percy to lick the evidence at least once okay, Interspecies Relationships, Kidnapping, Kissing, M/M, Nico doesn’t love him until later though, Nico gets kidnapped, Nico loves wine, Percy and Hades hunt down the guy who kidnapped him, Police Officer!Hades, its like a need I never knew I needed, jealous!Percy, like less than 2 chapters temporary, percy loves nico, seriously I live for Percy and Hades bonding, temporary solangelo
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-30
Updated: 2019-05-24
Packaged: 2019-09-02 13:43:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 15
Words: 19,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16788085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VastDelusion/pseuds/VastDelusion
Summary: Nico di Angelo, a quirky bookstore owner, decides to finally give in and purchase an android to help him around his shop. Little did he know that his new robot was going to change his life forever.When Nico comes up missing, Percy doesn’t know what else to do but go and find him. While hunting down his owner with the help of his android-hating father isn’t the ideal situation, it is better than nothing. Unbeknownst to him, CyberLife and the police force are on their tails for pursuing a case that should have been left to the authorities.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story takes place in the Detroit: Become Human Universe, but does not have to do with the storyline or gameplay. References are made, but nothing more than that.

Detroit was a city. Well, that was an obvious fact, but it was difficult to describe it but anything else than a city. The buildings were tall, perhaps even taller than the legendary skyscrapers for which New York City was renowned. The streets were never empty and always bustling with life and machine. 

Since humanity recovered, Detroit had become the heart of a new industrial revolution, a new era of machinery and robotics. As a result, humans had reached new levels of efficiency they had never accomplished in the past. Androids helped around houses, were assigned jobs such as cleaning and cooking and taking care of children, and some even were assigned to the police force to hunt down deviant androids that did not serve a purpose to humanity. 

My family had problems with androids. Of course, in my thoughts, they were the epitome of how incredibly far the human race had come, but my father hated them. He claimed it was that they were taking over human jobs and increasing the unemployment rate, but I suspected there was something else behind his hatred. He despised even the mention of them, so, no matter how much I wanted one, I never asked him, and we never owned one. 

It was when I finished college with honors and, at age 24, began my own small business, a bookstore, that I decided it was time. I spent hours researching them online, trying to find the right model and requirements—my living quarters got cold at night, especially in the wintertime, and I read that androids were hindered or even damaged by the cold, so I had to make sure everything was right. My inner child jumped for joy when I managed to get the money I needed to purchase one. I wanted a male one, but I would settle for a female one. I've been around girls all my life, anyway. 

I would not tell my father about him; after all, I could just say he was a friend, or an employee, or even a boyfriend. My dad would believe that. 

I ordered the model I wanted: an HM-400. It was a typical one, yet it was capable of everything I needed it to do, such as cleaning, restocking, dealing with customers if I was hungover, etcetera. He was a bit of everything, and he was just what I needed. 

When he arrived, I was more excited than I was when I got into Stanford. As I read his owner's manual, I glanced over all his functions—he was really advanced. He really was a little bit of everything. I laughed at the fact that he could "stimulate sexually," as well. It was commonly known that lots of people used androids for that purpose. 

Another reason others did not care much for androids was because many people chose them to be their partners, especially intimately, and religious people thought it to be a disgrace to mankind. It decreased the already shrinking birth rate and increased the divorce rate, but it was nothing people could control. I know, I had to do an essay on it. 

However, as they could be a controversial subject in modern society, I could see that I was going to lose customers simply because I owned an android. I could just not inform the people that I owned one, but they still were required to wear the blue armband and the triangle in public, due to the American Androids Act. Despite that the shop was just downstairs from my place of residence, it still was classified as a workplace rather than a private area, ergo public. 

He opened his eyelids and looked at me with that emotionless look in his eyes. The corners of his lips lifted slightly. 

"Hello, I'm HM-400. You can call me Percy." 

His voice was deep with a certain amount of gentleness. Was it weird for me to like his voice? I didn't know. At least it wasn't annoying. Androids had a tendency to talk a lot, but now I wouldn't mind. 

"I'm Nico." 

"Is that what you wish for me to address you as?" 

"Yes."

He smiled at me. His eyes were really pretty; they were green with bits of blue mixed in and blended to make a beautiful color. The blue circle on his temple glowed yellow, and I was startled. I knew he wasn't going to attack me, but I still was curious. 

"Don't worry," he said. "I'm analyzing." 

"Oh, okay. Analyze away." 

He walked around the room like a human would—I was amazed. He looked around the shop, inspecting books, the table, and the front desk. If I hadn't already known he was an android, I would have completely mistaken him for a human. He really was incredible.

"Am I to sell books?"

"Yes," I said. "As well as cleaning our inventory and answering any questions the customer might have. Sometimes I just get overwhelmed, you know?"

He nodded. "It won't be a problem, Nico." 

He looked out the window at the darkened city, now full of artificial light, and the cars racing by. He tilted his head in amusement.

"Here," I beckoned to him, "follow me. I'm going to show you where you will be staying." 

Percy looked up at me curiously before following me upstairs to my home. It was kind of messy—I never had time to clean it, really, and I hoped my new friend would help me with that. 

He seemed content with my living arrangement. He glanced around my small living room and smiled. 

"How old are you, Nico?" he asked, bending down to pick up some clothes from the floor. 

"I'm 25," I answered. 

"Ok. When is your birthday?" 

"January 28th." 

"I'll remember that," he said. "Your birthday is coming up soon, then." 

"It is."

"So, you like Nirvana? They're pretty old school." 

"Yes," I replied surprisedly as I watched him make my bed. "You heard of them?" 

"No, I don't listen to music, really. I just saw your poster and did a quick Google search." 

"Ah," I said. "Well, make yourself at home." 

"Thank you for your hospitality." 

"Do you need food, or what do you eat?" 

"Nothing," he said. "My battery is fully charged." 

"How long does it take to drain completely?" 

"103 years," he informed, settling down on the couch. 

Despite his stiffness and his apparel, I wouldn't have noticed he was a robot. He was completely humanlike. It surprised me how far mankind had come. 

I raised my eyebrows. "Well, I guess we're all good, then." 

I sat beside him on the couch and grabbed the remote, turning on the news channel. 

I looked over at my new android, who was amazed by the television as if it was the peak of scientific discovery. Showing moving people and producing noise did not hold a candle on what he could do. 

After we watched television for awhile, he made dinner for me and watched me eat curiously. The sun had long gone down by the time I handed him blankets and got him situated on the couch. My heater, an old clunker that made too much noise and was probably installed when dinosaurs roamed the Earth, cost a lot of money, so I tried to conserve as much heat as possible by using blankets and other things. 

I settled down in bed and stared at the ceiling for a good hour, consumed by my racing thoughts, before my subconscious finally gave in and let me sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

"Good morning, Nico," I heard as I strode past the living room in a t-shirt and my underwear, wiping the exhaustion from my eyes. 

He gently peeled the blanket off his body, casting a smile at me. I did my best to smile back; God, I am not a morning person. I opened the door to my bathroom and looked at my reflection in the mirror. My hair was mussed from sleep and my eyes were red from lack of sleep. 

"You look tired, Nico," said Percy from behind the door. "Did you get the recommended eight hours of sleep?" 

I laughed slightly. "No, probably not." 

"You should get some rest, then," he told me. 

"I can't," I replied, picking up my toothbrush and coating the end with a thin layer of toothpaste. I rinsed it off under a stream of cold water and brushed in circles on my molars. I spat out the remnants of the foamy substance and rinsed out my mouth. "I have work." 

"Oh," he said. "Do you want me to make you some breakfast?" 

"No, I'm fine," I told him. 

"Breakfast is the most important meal of the day," he informed, as if I hadn't heard it a million times throughout my life. 

"I know," I responded. "We can walk to the cafe down the street and get a croissant or something." 

"Café?" he asked, his voice full of curiosity, or what would be if he had emotion. He was a robot, after all. 

"Yeah." I ran a quick brush through my hair, put on some deodorant, and left the bathroom, heading for my room to get dressed. 

I stripped and tossed my dirty shirt aside, exchanging it for a clean one and pulled on a new pair of underwear and a pair of pants. Percy stood at the door. I was going to yell at him for watching me change, but then I remembered that he was a robot, not a pervert. But still, the government could have been watching me through those beautiful eyes of his. 

"Are you ready?" I asked him. 

He nodded. 

With that, I grabbed my wallet and we headed downstairs and out the door, on the way to the café, at which I was a regular customer. I was too lazy to make breakfast, so I always just grabbed a muffin or something there, therefore I did not have any ingredients to make breakfast. 

It was a familiar, comforting sight. The café was tan and cozy, with nice furniture and fake succulents sitting in pots on the tables. The frame was white and the floors were darker, complementing the lighter colors that the café had to offer. The glass case held so many different breakfast items—I could see Percy's and my reflection in the glass—and the scent of coffee and sandalwood wafted through the air. On every television in sight, a sappy Hallmark movie was playing. Percy looked around in wonder at the new setting. He sat down on a couch, his eyes glued to a girl crying over her boyfriend, or something on the screens, as he waited for me to get my croissant and my coffee. 

We sat there for a while, watching the ridiculous movie. Percy, yet again, was entranced by the images being shown. I sipped at my coffee and chewed on my warm bread until both were gone, and Percy was still engrossed by the movie. 

"Percy," I called as I glanced down at my phone. "It's almost time to open up shop."

He nodded, and we both left. I discarded my empty cup in a garbage bin on my way out the door. The morning air was brisk as we walked back to the store. The tips of my nose and ears were stained red by the time we reached the doors, which I unlocked with my key. I showed Percy around quickly before I turned the sign. 

Fortunately, Tuesdays were always slow days. It was nice to get back into the groove after a seemingly short weekend. Percy dusted every individual book on each shelf diligently, content in his work, as I remained at the front desk, checking inventory and fiddling around with things. The best thing about being my own boss was that I never had anyone constantly on my tail, telling me to do things. I could accomplish tasks at my own pace, and now I had an android to help me with tasks that I despised or that were difficult to do alone. 

Ms. Anderson popped in, like she did every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. She was an elderly woman who always liked to dress in vivid shades of orange and had a pair of daisy earrings that she never changed. She never really bought anything, but I didn't care. She was a kind woman who always was pleasant to talk to. 

Percy smiled at the old woman as she entered.

"Oh," she said, surprised, as she saw the green-eyed robot cleaning so gently, as if the slightest movement would tear the book apart. "An android. Is he yours, Nico?" 

I nodded. "I thought I could use a little help around the house and the shop. He's actually really nice to be around." 

"Well, I bet he's lovely."

"It's better than a roommate, anyway," I joked. 

She smiled at him. "I'm Hestia Anderson." 

"I'm HM-400, but you can call me Percy," he replied. "Nice to meet you, Ms. Anderson." 

"You have really pretty eyes, Percy."

"Thank you. You do too." 

She smiled at him again before waddling back over to the chair she usually sat in. It was her chair, I supposed. She was the only one who ever sat in it. She thumbed through the magazine that she had read on Saturday—it was one full of home design ideas and recipes, like many other women liked to read. 

By closing, Percy had finished conversing with customers and wiping down the shelves. We took inventory and the register report before I locked the door and flipped the sign. The lights had faded from the day, I noticed. Not as many cars flew by and the neon lights were flashing in the distance. Headlights and streetlights replaced the cordial sunlight. 

The two of us escaped upstairs. Percy prepared dinner and we settled down. It was a casual life I had, and I didn't want it to change.


	3. Chapter 3

It was about a month later that autumn faded into winter and the apartment began to get colder. Outside began to get colder, too. Percy reminded me to wear my hat and coat whenever we made the venture a block down to the café, where I would chase down a muffin with a cup of coffee and watch the repetitive, sappy Hallmark movies that were always playing. 

Percy would sit on the couch, entertained as ever, as I sipped at the warmth of the coffee and reveled in the heat of the shop. It wasn't near as warm in my own shop. The heater was fine downstairs, but the one upstairs was a pain in the ass. Expensive, too. I would gladly replace it, but the foundations of the building "aren't compatible for new heater types" and "the magnitude would affect the cost greatly." 

I pulled on Percy's hand to bring him back to the shop, where we would pursue another day of restocking and recommending titles. Familiar covers passed through my hands and were scanned. I was handed money and they left with their merchandise. I had many of the same customers, many I never saw again, but such was life. 

Percy and I retreated upstairs after another long day. I threw off my jacket—Percy picked it up behind me and hung it up on the coatrack—and plopped down on the couch, rubbing my eyes. 

"I might call it a night early, okay?" I told him. 

"Let's eat dinner first, though," he said before disappearing in the kitchen. 

"Fine," I sighed. "What is it tonight?" 

"Pork chops are okay?" 

"Yeah, that sounds good."

Soon, a delicious platter was placed before me. The slab of meat was covered in panko breading, accompanied by a side of grilled vegetables and a pile of mashed potatoes. I smiled at him in appreciation before digging in and humming. Seriously, this robot could cook. 

I sipped at the wine that he poured for me, the bitter flavor accentuating the taste of pork. It soon disappeared from the plate, and I thanked him for the delicious meal he had prepared for me. 

He picked up the empty plate from the table and rinsed it off in the sink as I returned to my bedroom for an anticipated rest. I didn't even turn on the T.V., and he didn't, either. I was exhausted beyond belief, and it wasn't even that busy of a day. 

I nestled beneath layers of blankets, cold from the temperature of the room, but I assumed that my body heat would warm them eventually. Percy flicked the lights off for me as I closed my eyelids, the room surrounded in a comfortable darkness. 

"Good night, Nico," he said. 

"Good night, Percy," I murmured sleepily. 

I could feel him smile at me like he always did, then retreat back into the living room, where he would cover himself up in blankets and go into his battery-conserving mode. 

It was only a few hours later that I woke up shivering, the air around me freezing despite my many blankets. I called to Percy to turn on the heater. I heard him shuffle from a room over, investigating the coldness of the apartment before I heard a, "It appears to be broken, Nico." 

"Seriously?" I asked, unamused by my luck. 

I felt his presence in my room before my blankets lifted and a body rested beside mine. I moved to accommodate him before his arms wrapped around me. A sudden warmth enveloped my body, and I felt comfortable again. 

"I forgot you can generate heat."

"Tell me when it gets to be too much, okay?" 

I nodded before basking in his warmth. He held me tighter as I fell into repose. 

I woke to a slight shuffling of the body wrapped around mine. I looked up from his chest to behold two green eyes. He smiled at me gently. 

"Good morning, Nico," he greeted, as always. 

"'Morning." I couldn't help but feel comfortable—so comfortable that the last thing I wanted was to get up, but I knew that I needed to. Not right then, but soon. 

"How did you sleep?" 

"Good, actually."

He nodded. "Good. Would you like me to make breakfast?" 

"I don't have anything to—"

"I bought some ingredients yesterday," he told me. "We can skip the movie today." 

I nodded. A meal in sounded incredible, so I didn't resist. We stayed in bed a little longer until I knew that we had to get up. 

I turned on a cartoon while I ate my delicious breakfast—why didn't I have him make me some earlier?—and we relaxed on the couch. He seemed to like the cartoon as much as the movies, but his usual sense of wonder was absent. The circle on his temple remained blue, unlike when we lounged at the coffee shop. His circle was yellow then. I assumed he was analyzing it. 

As he disposed of my dish, I completed my usual hygiene routine and we began our day. I called someone to get my heater looked at. I could always have just used Percy; he was efficient and affordable, but, then again, he didn't heat up my whole apartment. Everything was cold in comparison to my bed—just another reason that I wanted to return to it. 

Percy helped up in the front while I managed things in the back. Ms. Anderson wasn't here, so I didn't bother interacting with customers. Percy was so much better at talking to people than I was. After all, he was programmed to do it. 

I ordered in for dinner that night. I didn't want Percy to get too overworked, so I made it simpler on him. 

"When is the heater repairman coming?" Percy asked. 

"Tomorrow," I told him. "Until then, can you stay in the bed tonight?"

"Of course," he said. "I can't run when I'm too cold, anyway." 

"I guess you're right. Don't worry, it's only until tomorrow."

He seemed kind of sad about it. I didn't know why.


	4. Chapter 4

It was after about a month when Percy began to act a little weird. He always wanted to cook for me, even if I insisted that we could go out. He wanted to watch movies with me and sleep in my bed, despite that the heater had been fixed. 

I didn't know why until one night in, while we were sitting on the couch and watching a movie I rented. He glanced over at me every now and then. I felt his gaze on me at times, but I chose to ignore it. I kept my eyes on the screen. Then, he reached over and I felt something warm caress the back of my hand. My eyebrows creased in confusion as I looked down and saw his hand grasping mine. My gaze moved to him, whose attention was now back on the screen. 

I moved my hand away, only for him to be reaching for it again a couple of minutes later. 

"What are you doing?" 

"Holding your hand," he said casually, as if it was completely expected and the most natural occurrence in the world. 

"Why?"

"Well, isn't it a symbol of friendship?" 

I tilted my head in confusion. "In some countries, yes, but here? Not really. For girls, maybe." 

"Oh," he said, revoking his hand.

I reached into my bowl for a handful of golden kernels, popping them into my mouth while I watched the main couple kiss. I rolled my eyes, as I was not really into romance. I felt Percy's gaze on me, so I looked up. He smiled at me like he usually did, but something in his eyes was different. I couldn't tell what it was. 

Then, he leaned in and pressed his lips against mine. I watched it happen, but I didn't stop him. I made a noise of surprise, but I didn't react, nor did I move. I was frozen in place, feeling the warm pressure on my lips. He noticed I wasn't participating, so he drew away from me. His beautiful, green eyes were repleted with confusion, as were mine. 

"Why did you...?" I began. 

His circle on his temple turned red, an unfamiliar color. "It felt like I wanted to," he replied. "I looked at you and... I'm sorry, Nico."

"It's...alright," I told him. "It must be from all the Hallmark movies." 

He nodded. "Of course. It must be that." 

For the rest of the night, he held a contemplative look, not paying a shred of attention to the remainder of the movie. He did not offer to sleep in my bed, which I found strange. He seemed frantic to make it up to me the next morning, such as scrambling to make me breakfast, cleaning everything he could, and turning the television to my favorite channel. 

He soon left to the store to buy me some food, and I hunted down his owner's manual. I scoured though the pages, searching for any indication that his behavior was based on his programming. I found nothing, as expected. I decided to look it up instead. Apparently, "my android kissed me" was a popular search and the title of a sappy romance novel. 

I finally narrowed it down to a few forums, but all of them said that he was malfunctioning and that he should be sent in and reset. I didn't want to reset him. I felt attached to him, and I didn't want to lose all the progress we made. It felt nice returning from somewhere and knowing that there was someone who felt close to me to come home to. He wasn't a roommate, or just another android; Percy was my friend, and resetting him was upsetting to think about. 

I closed my laptop and rubbed the pads of my fingers on my aching temples as I sat back on the couch. The sound of the door opening and closing jolted me out of my transient relaxation, and I opened my eyes to see my android; he wore my scarf, hat, and gloves to keep him warm, along with a light coat that I bought him, which was draped over his normal attire. He cast a smile at me as he held up the bag of groceries which consisted of ingredients for breakfast. 

I smiled tiredly back at him before standing and going over to see what he bought. There were eggs and other things, but I was mostly intrigued by the box of donuts. He took it out and handed it to me. I opened it and beheld half a dozen all custard-filled donuts with chocolate frosting: my favorite. I smiled at him in gratitude. 

"Thanks, Perce," I said, reaching for one. "God, I was craving these." 

He smiled at my reaction. "No problem. My treat. I'm really sorry." 

I shook my head as I bit into my donut. "It doesn't matter," I told him through my donut, my words muffled. The deliciousness spilled onto my tongue, and I moaned, pleased. The sweetness was intense, but I always loved sweet foods. He smiled at my enjoyment as I took another bite. 

That night, he asked to sleep in my bed again. I didn't refuse; it was nice to wake up to incredible warmth and a, "Good morning, Nico," as he smiled gently down at me. 

I reveled in his warmth and his scent as his fingers carded through my hair. It felt like I was younger, lying in my parents' bed and prepared to fall asleep at any moment. 

"Nico," Percy's voice broke the silence. 

"Hm?" I hummed tiredly. 

"What's love?"

I tilted my chin upwards to look at him, genuinely surprised by his question. 

"Can't you look it up?"

"I did. According to the Oxford Dictionary, it means 'an intense feeling of deep affection' or 'a strong feeling of affection and sexual attraction for someone.'" 

"Well, there you go."

"I want to know what you think it means." 

I plopped my head down on his chest. 

"Well, I think it's when you would do anything for someone," I began. "If someone hurts them, there you are, taking care of them and making sure they're okay. It's when you would choose them over something important to you, like a possession or a job. It's when someone is abroad, and you are willing to swim across the entire ocean to be with them. It's when your feelings inside cannot be put into words, because you care for them that much. It's when they want something, and you're willing to let them go just so they can be happy." 

It was quiet for a long time. 

"Sorry, I got really carried away," I apologized, breaking the silence. "I just read a lot. I'm not one for the romance genre, but I know what love is." 

Percy nodded, before that same, thoughtful look occurred on his face. He looked down at me. 

"Nico, I love you."


	5. Chapter 5

I stared, wide-eyed at the android, who looked upon me with such sincerity. It occurred to me what I needed to say. 

"Percy, I..." I paused. "I'm sorry." 

"Why?" he asked. "I do. I saw those movies with all those couples, and—" 

"No, I mean," I sighed. "I can't date an android, Percy. I'm human." 

His hopeful look immediately changed into one of disappointment. He looked...sad. I couldn't imagine why. Usually, robots didn't have the capacity for emotion. He probably didn't feel anything. It was just his programming that made him act out human emotions. 

"But, I..."

"You're probably just mirroring the movies, Percy," I repeated. "You don't love me, you just want the movies you watched. Let's get some sleep, okay?" 

"Okay," he replied, dejectedly. 

I closed my eyes, the golden lights shutting off around me and encasing the two of us in a comfortable darkness. I fell asleep soon after that. 

When I awoke, the soporific warmth was gone. Percy was gone. 

I sat up, wiping the exhaustion from my eyes. I ventured into the living room, seeing the android on the couch. He didn't have a blanket; it had fallen on the floor in a crumpled heap. I creased my eyebrows in confusion, kneeling beside the couch to examine him closer. His eyes were open, so I knew he was awake. They were staring down at the carpeted floor, downcast and sullen. 

"Percy?"

He glanced up at me and, without a word, his gaze shifted back onto the floor. 

"Are you okay?" 

No response. 

"Do you want anything?" 

Again, silence. 

I sighed, replacing the blanket over his body before returning to my room to prepare myself for the day. 

With my daily routine finished, I grabbed my bag and left the house, leaving the moody android on the couch. I headed to the café in the cold, grateful for my warm apparel. Once I entered, the enticing thought of a fresh cinnamon roll and a hot cup of coffee lured me to the counter, where a blond, tanned man around my age with sparkling blue eyes greeted me. 

"Hey, Nico, I haven't seen you in a couple of weeks," he said. 

"Yeah, my android made me breakfast for awhile," I told him. 

"Well, you're my best customer, and I don't wish to see you go, but why did he stop?" 

"I don't know," I sighed. "He didn't look too energetic this morning. He wouldn't even talk to me. I'm going to take him in and have him looked at." 

"Good idea," said Will. "So, what'll it be today?" 

"Well, a cinnamon roll and a caramel latte sounds good," I told him, beginning to unsheathe my wallet from its pouch before being waved off. 

"It's on the house," he said. "Don't worry about it." 

I looked at him skeptically before obeying and replacing my wallet in its respective place. "Well, thank you." 

I sat in my usual place, waiting for my order to be completed. Upon the call of my name, I stood and went to collect my comestibles. The cinnamon roll looked great; it peeked out of the white tissue paper wrapped around it. The cup and the wrapper were warm in my hands as I thanked Will again and went to enjoy my food. As I situated myself back on the couch, I glanced down at my cup, which had more writing on it than it should've had. 

"Dinner?" it asked in bold, black Sharpie writing, followed by a phone number. 

My gaze shifted up at Will, who was smiling at me expectantly. I returned his smile and sipped at my delicious latte. Victoriously, Will grinned. "Sunday," he mouthed, before he slipped around the corner to make more cinnamon rolls, as I had taken the last one. 

I bit into my cinnamon roll with a slight smile. The frosting melted on my tongue and I moaned at the flavor. This café always had the best cinnamon rolls. Once the treats were gone, I slipped out of the café and headed back home, ready to indulge in my final day off for the week. As I entered my apartment, I smiled at Percy, who looked ready to talk to me now. 

"Are you okay?" I asked as I closed the door behind me and shrugged off my coat. 

He nodded. "Yeah. You look happy." 

"Meh," I responded, hanging my coat up before reaching to remove my hat and gloves. "Will just asked me out, is all." 

"Who?" He sounded kind of upset, yet curious. 

"The guy at the café," I told him. "I need to go out every once in a while, you know. It's just dinner at his house." 

"When?" 

"Sunday night."

"Oh."

I smiled at him before disappearing in the kitchen. 

The week practically flew by. I was relieved that it was almost time for my first date in a... well, in a long time. 

"Ah, it's finally Friday," I commented, pleased. 

He had a thoughtful look on his face. "Isn't it Saturday?" 

"Yeah, it's a figure of speech," I informed. 

"Oh."

After what seemed like an eternity, I looked down at my watch and smiled, pleased that it was finally closing time. Percy locked up for me while I finished taking the register reports and filing them. I stored my money away and turned off the lights. Percy followed me up the stairs and to our home, where I would heat up some leftover pizza, and we would spend the rest of the night watching movies. I greatly anticipated it: it had been a long day. 

I fell asleep on the couch, only to wake in my bed with a sleepy android beside me. I indulged in his warmth before nudging him awake. He smiled gently at me. 

"G-Good mooorniiing, Nicooo," he slurred. 

I raised my eyebrows in concern and confusion. "Are you okay?" 

"I'm fiiine," he replied. 

He definitely was not fine. I stood from bed and snatched the owner's manual from my dresser. I scanned through the pages before I found the section on impaired speech. I widened my eyes. Slurring implied the presence of a virus. 

"Percy?" I asked. "Do you have a virus?" 

"I don't knoooow." 

I sighed. That was going to cost a lot of money to fix. I thought I had renewed my malware protector this month. 

I picked up my phone and called Will. "Hello?" 

"Hey, Will, I'm sorry," I told him. "My android got a virus somehow, and I need to take him in for a scan and repair. I might not be able to make our date." 

"Hey, no you don't have to. I can come with you, then we can have dinner at your place." 

I smiled. "Yeah, that sounds good. Okay. See you tonight." 

"Same to you."

I hung up before returning to my room to assist my sick android.


	6. Chapter 6

"Your android does not have a virus," the man told me, looking over the report. "Your malware defender is doing it's job. Don't worry, he's going to be fine." 

"But, what about the slurring?" 

"Oh. Well, it might just be a glitch. He'll be fine once he's home." 

I nodded, relieved. Will smiled at me reassuringly. It felt like I was a parent taking my child to the doctor. 

We took Percy home and decided we would just eat dinner at my place. Percy prepared a dinner for two, as well as poured wine for us. He was the perfect waiter. 

I laughed at the anecdote Will shared about his work and the hilarious people that went there. I didn't notice Percy's sad, longing look at me from the living room, where he sat while he waited for us to be finished. 

Will smiled as downed the rest of his glass of wine while he listened to me talk about Ms. Anderson. 

"That's so sweet," he commented. 

I shrugged. "She's good company. Percy and I both really like her. She was one of my first customers." 

He smiled again before lifting his empty glass in emphasis. 

"Oh," I said. "Hey, Perce, can you pour some more wine, please?" 

He lifted himself from the couch and ventured back to us, picking up the tall bottle of wine, which was now about half-empty. He topped me off before beginning to fill Will's glass. A stutter in his arm sent the dark liquid spilling out of the bottle and covering his clean, white shirt with dark red.

"Oh, I am so sorry," Percy apologized as he placed the bottle down and grabbed a napkin, attempting to wipe the stains off of him. "Please let me clean you off." 

"I'm fine," he grumbled at him, standing from his seat, leaving a wide-eyed android with a now-stained napkin. "You mind if I use your restroom to wash up?" 

"Go ahead," I told him. 

Once he left the room, I looked up at a guilty-looking Percy. 

"It's okay," I told him. "It's probably just a new shirt. You're okay. It was an accident." 

He nodded before excusing himself, as well. He spilled a little wine on himself, too. 

Will returned from the bathroom with a wetted shirt, and I thoroughly apologized, but he waved it off. "It's fine." 

I nodded. With that, we finished our dinner and he left. 

Percy cleaned up the mess, and we retired to the bedroom. I lied there, enveloped in warmth and nearly asleep when Percy spoke up. 

"I meant to do it." 

Initially, I was confused about what he meant, but then it dawned on me. 

"Why would you do that?" I asked incredulously, lifting my body to look at him properly. 

"I don't like him."

I was trying to be angry, but the statement was kind of amusing to come out of his mouth. I smiled slightly against my volition. 

"Why don't you like him?"

"Because I want to be the one sitting across from you, laughing about work and other things. I want it to be me." 

"Percy, you don't love me," I repeated. "It's just this Hallmark bullshit again."

"I do love you," he said quietly, his circle turning red. "I love you. It hurts me, Nico. Tonight, I saw you laughing with him, and... I wanted to leave. I didn't want to see you with him. I wanted to be the one you were happy with." 

I sighed. I guess it was cruel of me to deny his alleged feelings for me, then go out and find someone. I didn't want to date an android because I didn't see them truly as people, instead something that helped society develop. Then again, I viewed Percy as an equal. Why would it be wrong to kiss him, or to come home to him and cuddle on the couch for awhile? Why would it be wrong for me to love him back? 

He kissed me gently, and I returned it. I closed my eyes, focusing on the feeling developing in the pit of my stomach as I moved my lips against his. He smiled in the kiss. 

Now that I could focus, I noticed his lips were softer than they looked. I slid my fingers in his hair, lost in the trance of emotion. The kiss deepened, and I moved to straddle him so it was more comfortable. We parted temporarily so I could take a quick breath before we dove back in. I felt his hands on my back, sneaking under my t-shirt. He pushed the fabric up my torso, suggesting that he wanted me to take it off. I tore away, shedding my shirt and continuing where I left off. 

My inner voice was screaming, "This is wrong! This is wrong!" but how could it have truly been wrong if it felt so right? 

Percy interrupted the kiss by pulling away with a smile on his face. No words were spoken as the mood changed into a more gentle one. He rested his forehead against mine. 

"Let's stop here for today," he told me. "You'll regret it otherwise." 

I nodded, knowing he was right. I climbed off of him and, instead, nestled beside him. After he turned off the light, I wrapped my arm around his torso as he turned on his side to hold me closer. While I knew he was just keeping me warm, it felt a lot more like cuddling. I decided I liked it. 

I didn't know what I would tell Will. I'd probably tell him that I wasn't interested in dating at the moment, but I was kind of tired of telling excuses. It would only be temporary, anyway. I decided that I would take him out to dinner and inform him that I'd rather be friends. It sounded like a solid plan. 

Percy nuzzled his nose in my hair, his eyes closed. I leaned up and pressed a kiss to his lips. He lazily smiled and slowly moved his lips against mine. I smiled as he put so much enthusiasm into it, but it remained just a kiss. I moved back down to my previous position, my head against his warm chest as I curled into his body. He stroked my hair, muttered an "I love you," and we both fell asleep. 

△ ▽ △ ▽ △ ▽ △ ▽

"You're going on another date with him?" Percy asked, dejectedly. 

I shook my head. "No, it's not another date. I invited him to dinner, is all. It's not a date." 

Percy pulled me in and kissed me. "Promise?"

I laughed. "Promise. Don't worry. I'll be back around ten with a bottle of wine and a movie. Just...clean or something until I get back, okay?"

He nodded, leaning against an arm on the couch as I swung my bag over my shoulder. I kissed him goodbye before I left.


	7. Chapter 7

I walked home from the diner down the street, my bag and sweatshirt draped over my shoulder and a bottle of Luzón Verde cradled in my arm. I reminded myself to be careful with it. If I dropped my wine, I would just have to go without, and I didn't want that, therefore I was cautious. 

Will offered me a ride home, but it would have been awkward. It was a lot more tense than I thought it would be telling him that I only wanted to be friends. It was quiet for a lot of the time and he offered to pay his half. I didn't deny him that. 

The sky had darkened and bright colors flew past me as I strode down the sidewalk. The sky was hidden behind the tall buildings that reached toward it, darkened by the lack of light. Stars dotted the areas of the sky that were visible. I ran into someone, making me check my bottle to see if it was undamaged. I gave a quick apology, then decided to keep my eyes ahead of me. 

I felt paranoid, as if the shadows were about to reach out and grab me. I held my bottle closer to my body, eyeing some of the people loitering the pathways. Neon signs were lit, advertising bars and casinos, casting bright pink and yellow glows on the sidewalk. It made me feel a bit better now that there was light. The walls around me were adorned with stylistic graffiti letters, but I paid no attention.

A dark-skinned man in a beanie whispered something to another man as I strode past, trying to look down and avoid any contact.

As I continued down the street, I felt eyes on me. It felt like everyone was watching me. I hunched my shoulders slightly in anxiousness before I picked up my pace and ran. As I turned the corner, I looked behind me to see if anyone was following me. To my relief, there was not a single soul. I eyed my building, nesting in the halos of street lamps. The lights upstairs were on, so I assumed Percy had found the Hallmark channel and had been occupying himself with that. I planned on kissing him so hard once I got through that door. 

Soon an arm reached around my face and a large hand pressed over my mouth. I dropped my bottle of wine in shock, hearing it shatter to pieces on the concrete. I felt the liquid splash onto my pant legs as I screamed, but it was muffled by the man's skin. He smelled of metal, rust, and dirt. I persisted, kicking and flailing, trying to escape from his grasp and book it down the sidewalk, but my efforts were futile. He dragged me into a gap between buildings and pinned me roughly against the wall. The last thing I witnessed before I blacked out were two glowing, blue eyes. 

  
△ ▽ △ ▽ △ ▽ △ ▽

"Are you sure he's missing?" asked the dispatcher over the phone. 

"It's past midnight," Percy exclaimed into the phone, pacing around the apartment. "He's never out this late without telling me. He promised to be back around ten, with a bottle of wine and a movie. He never came back." 

"Can you tell me where he last told you he was going?"

"He went to dinner with a friend at Grace's Diner," Percy informed. "The 24-hour one." 

"And what is your name?" 

"HM-400. He calls me Percy."

The dispatcher hummed into the phone. "And an address?" 

"402 South Central Avenue," he said. "Upstairs from the bookstore." 

"Don't worry, Percy," the woman reassured. "We'll find him."

He thanked her and hung up, completely unsatisfied. Nico was just...gone. He paced around a bit more, searching for a note, or any evidence that denoted he was leaving somewhere after dinner. He promised him he'd be back. He promised him. 

He knew what he needed to do. He grabbed a jacket off the coatrack and fled the apartment, determination in his eyes. He walked to the diner and eyed a waiter who had just clocked out and left the next shift to a petite woman, whose vibrant red curls had been tied back into a messy ponytail. 

"Excuse me," he called to the waiter who had gathered his jacket and was about to leave the premises. 

"Yes?" he asked, looking up at him expectantly. 

"Have you seen a man, about this tall, dark hair, pretty pale? He was sitting with a blond guy?" 

"Nico? He's one of our regulars."

"I know. Have you seen him?" 

"Well, I have, but not recently."

"How long ago did you see him?"

"Well, he bought a bottle of wine and left about three hours ago. I overheard that he said he was going to walk home." 

"Thank you," Percy said gratefully as he swung open the glass doors and left the diner. 

Fretfully, Percy continued down the street, searching for any sign of Nico. He passed a shady neighborhood, full of neon lights and practically void of people. He turned the corner, ensuring that there was no one on his tail, and he noticed a dark spot on the sidewalk near the store. Peaked with curiosity, he kneeled by the puddle to examine it. It had shards of a broken bottle surrounding it, and it was too dark to be blood. He dipped his index and middle fingers in the cold liquid and lifted them to his tongue. Wine, he concluded. Luzón Verde, to be exact. That was the brand that Nico typically bought because it was affordable and it tasted pleasant. The circle on his temple glowed yellow as he further inspected the scene. 

Soon, lights flashed on him. He lifted his head to face the source, like a deer caught in the headlights. 

"Get on your knees!" a man shouted. 

Percy obeyed, kneeling next to the large puddle of wine. The source of the shouting was unclear, as the blinding light drowned out the details. It was barely noticeable, but he could see a faint figure emerging from the stream of bright light and approaching him. It looked as if he was wielding a weapon, likely a firearm. 

"Hands on your head!" 

"I— What are you doing?" He asked, but he obeyed. His wrists were forced into silver handcuffs, and his mind spiraled in confusion. "I'm not the perpetrator. I'm the one who called." 

"The android?" the officer asked. 

"Yes." 

"Well, to let you know, I despise androids. Come on. I'm taking you to the station." 

"For interrogation?" he asked as he was pulled to his feet. 

"Sure, sure," he grumbled, escorting him to the car, on which bright red and blue lights were flashing. 

"Aren't you going to read him his rights?" The woman standing outside their car—the man's partner—exclaimed. 

"No," the officer said. "He's an android."

He gestured to his apparel. The blonde woman nodded as she opened the door for him. The officer carelessly shoved him into the backseat. 

"I wish I could just shoot him and let it be over with," the man grumbled as he walked around and opened the driver's door, situating himself behind the wheel and putting his seatbelt on. The woman climbed in beside him and shut her door, following suit. He ensured that the android did not attempt to escape, and the three of them took off. 

Percy didn't mutter a word. He was trying to find and save Nico, not be delayed by the police. He was annoyed, if anything. He was only trying to find evidence, and now he was in the back of a squad car, awaiting his fate, and only lengthening the time before he could see Nico safe again. 

It was not long until the car pulled up to the station. The android was escorted through a labyrinth of hallways and doors before they turned into an interrogation room, where he was seated in a plastic chair. The walls were dreary and grey, unlike Nico's comforting apartment, where he wished he was watching a movie and cuddling with Nico, who would be getting drunk off of cheap wine. Instead, he was forced to look for the missing boy that vanished abruptly, sitting in an intimidating room with an intimidating police officer that looked like he could kill him at any moment. 

His arms were cuffed in front of him instead of behind him, so he rested his wrists on the table and tensely gazed up at the man glowering at him. 

His hair was dark and his eyes were cold, despite them being similar to Nico's. He had dark scruff growing on his chin. He was about the same height as the android, but only when they were standing. He slouched over the table, staring at the android with a censuring gaze.

"I'm Officer di Angelo," he told him in his gruff voice. "I'm here to ask you a couple of questions about the reported disappearance of my son."


	8. Chapter 8

I awoke in utter darkness, an ache in my head and a cough lodged in my throat. I moved my hands, which were surprisingly unbound. My heart palpitated in my chest as I moved onto my knees and felt around the cold, concrete floor beneath me, searching for anything that could be of use or tell me where I was. The pads of my fingers brushed cold metal, assumably bars that surrounded me. I was in a cell? The blue eyes glowed in my memory. He must've taken me here, but why me?

A door opened, allowing a stream of golden light to enter. A shadow emerged from through the door, approaching me.

I looked around now that I had a little light, barely enough to see. I was, indeed, incarcerated, but it wasn't a cell. It was a cage, about a meter or two high by three meters long. I assumed I wouldn't be standing for a while. 

The shadow kneeled over and opened a latch on the bottom of the door to insert something flat into my prison. Upon further inspection, I found it to be a tray of food. While I didn't trust this strange figure, I accepted the food. I was starving. 

I chewed at the mediocre food—God, I wished I could have one of those custard-filled donuts Percy bought for me. I was grateful, as I was hungry, but I wanted Percy at my side, telling me that everything was going to be okay. 

My eyes widened in realization. Percy. He must have been worried sick about me. I knew he was looking for me, and I awaited it, but what if he couldn't find me? 

As I finished eating, the shadow retrieved the tray and receded from the room. The door was shut behind him, eliminating all light from the room and engulfing me in darkness once again. 

  
△ ▽ △ ▽ △ ▽ △ ▽

"You're Nico's father?" Percy asked. 

"I am," he replied in his gruff voice. "And you're his sack of nuts, bolts, and gears?" 

"Yes," was the politest response he could think of. "I am his android. He purchased me a couple of months ago to help him around his home and shop." 

"When's his birthday?" 

"What?" 

"Answer the question. When's his birthday?" 

"This isn't relevant to—" 

"Just answer the question." His tone was dark, and it frightened him a little. 

The circle on his temple turned red. "January 28th." 

"Where did he go to college?" 

"Stanford." 

"What is his favorite band?" 

"It varies from The Ramones to Nirvana." 

"Thought I could trick you, there. You are his android, I suppose." 

"I am."

"He always seemed the sort," he mumbled. "So, I need to ask you some questions." 

"Yes." 

"When did he leave?" 

"He left around seven. He was going to dinner with a friend at Grace's Diner, as I told the dispatcher." 

"Which friend?" 

"Will," he replied. "I don't know his last name, but he works at the café where Nico goes to eat breakfast." 

"So, Solace, then? Blond, tan, blue eyes?" 

"Yes, that's him." 

"Okay," the man said, writing it down on a notepad. "Did he say he was going anywhere else after the diner?" 

"No," the android answered. "He promised he'd be back with a bottle of wine and a movie, but I didn't find a movie when I was looking for him. I found the bottle of wine. It was broken on the sidewalk. He probably dropped it in a struggle, meaning someone took him." 

Officer di Angelo nodded. "Or he was clumsy and went back for another bottle." 

Percy shook his head. "He never drops his wine. He's always gentle with it. With everything else, like dishes and books, he's clumsy, but not his wine. When it comes to wine, he's careful." 

The man was quiet for a moment. "I suppose you're right."

"With all due respect, sir, we're wasting time," Percy told him. "We need to find him before he gets hurt. I don't want anything bad to happen to him."

Officer di Angelo sighed as he stood. "I know, but we have to do this properly and lawfully." 

Percy was not keen on the idea of sitting in the interrogation room alone, but he did not have a choice in the matter. He jingled his handcuffs and drew pictures of Nico to keep him occupied. He knew he was being observed, but he didn't care. All he cared about was Nico, and he desperately needed to find him, no matter what. He stood from his seat and tried to find a way out. With or without help from the police, he was going to search for Nico. If that made him a deviant, than so be it. 

  
△ ▽ △ ▽ △ ▽ △ ▽

I planted my feet at the door of the cage and pushed at it with all my legs would allow. I kicked at the walls and felt around on the ground for some sort of metal to pick the lock with. I was desperate for a sign of a rescue, or anything that denoted that I would leave this imprisonment safely. My throat was raw from screaming for help, but no one answered me. I was left alone in the darkness, without a voice or a way out. 

I wanted Percy. I wanted his gentle eyes and I wanted his soft, tenor voice whispering reassurances in my ear. Most of all, I just wanted him to hold me in his arms, warm and safe, to protect me from the injustices of the world. 

I slouched over in defeat, highly dismayed that I had fallen into the role of the damsel in distress in this trope. Now, I had to hope that this trope stuck to the basics, which meant a gallant young hero would come to my aid and save me from my predicament, and I had a feeling that that brave soldier would be my android. I knew I had to trust him. He was the only one left that I could truly put my faith into. 

For a Plan A, I had to sit tight and wait for my chance to escape. I had to sit here and think and strategize my enemy's next move and wait for my opportunity. Plan B, I would have Percy be my savior. Either those, or I would never come home again. It was my choice, and I had to pick wisely. 

△ ▽ △ ▽ △ ▽ △ ▽

Percy could hear Officer di Angelo's gruff voice from the dreary room he sat in, nearly a hundred doodles of Nico's profile covering the papers he was supplied. He sat still and listened to his words, hoping for them to be even close to relevant to his situation. 

"I suspect that this abduction was part of the series of disappearances that have occurred throughout the city the past few months. He works slow, but effectively. Perhaps even Cyberlife will get involved now." 

Disappearances? Percy heard of them. They were talked about in the café regularly when Nico and he went to watch Hallmark movies and eat a quick breakfast. He had heard twelve people had gone missing over the past four months, and it was rumored each one had a role in a conspiracy of some sort. The details upon said conspiracy were never mentioned, but that was what they believed. Detroit was full of these occurrences, even after meticulous android detectives were sent by Cyberlife, a company that rooted out all deviant androids and disposed of them accordingly. 

But these disappearances, thirteen of them now, were of no coincidence, now that he heard it from an official's mouth, and now Cyberlife was involved. It surely was of no coincidence. They were dangerous, and Nico was now in their clutches. How could he possibly have let this happen? It could have all been prevented if he would have went along to the diner. But, now, Nico was gone, and he had to recompense for it. It was irrational to claim all of this as if it was his fault, but he couldn't help but wanting to shoulder all the blame for it. It was nicer to have someone to blame, even if it wasn't in their control. 

He sat in his chair, restless. Now that Cyberlife was involved, he knew he needed to save Nico. It was unpredictable what they were going to do, and he had to complete his sworn duty: to protect the one he loved, no matter the cost to himself.


	9. Chapter 9

It was a rainy day in Detroit when Percy first decided he was in love with his owner. Of course, Nico had no knowledge of this, as he believed that androids were merely machines, with no feelings and one obligation in their programming: to serve the many, and that was that. He enjoyed Percy's company, and he had come to accept that those feelings were unable to be reciprocated, but at least he was there to help him and buy him food and listen to his ramblings about books. Little did he know, Percy hung onto his every word as if they were a new religion. 

The rain poured onto the street, coloring the sky a dreary grey. Nico commented how much he loved the rain as Percy held the umbrella above their heads. He was concerned Nico would get a cold if he pranced around in the rainfall like he usually did. While it was amusing to see, he already had the incipience of a stuffy nose. Not that it was not enjoyable to take care of the other male; Mrs. Anderson was coming to visit, and he spent the night before deciding which tea to brew and conversations to have with the cordial old lady. 

He watched Nico with a smile as he went on about the book he was reading when the store was empty and there was not a thing to do. He seemed so intrigued by this new book that Percy thought about reading it himself so he could share the same feelings. 

Once he folded the umbrella, Percy opened the glass door to the café for Nico to enter. The familiar jingle of the bell followed, denoting that more customers had sauntered in searching for solace from the bitter rain and the gloomy air of outside. On the contrary, Nico would rather eat his croissant in the precipitation, standing in the middle of the street and watching the rain fall from the heavens. While snow was prettier to look at, rain left Nico in better a better mood. He enjoyed the smell and the feeling of the droplets on his skin. Fortunately, Percy was water-proof, so he could stand out in the downpour at his side. 

The two wiped their shoes off at the rug before striding over the polished wooden floors and toward the display of sweets and delicacies the shop had to offer. The sweet scent of vanilla and the bitter scent of coffee beans wafted through the air this morning. Nico decided that a warm cup of caramel cappuccino sounded like the most intriguing comestible the world had to offer at the moment, so he ordered one along with a warm croissant, fresh out of the oven. 

They sat side-by-side on a plush couch, Nico watching the drops race down the window nearest to him with a certain kind of contentment that he strived for on most days. Percy's attention, however, was directed at the small televisions mounted on the walls. Yet again, a Hallmark movie played. Nico said they were cheesy, but Percy found them intriguing, at the very least. They conveyed elements of life the android had yet to see. 

Percy watched a guy on the screen kiss a girl in awe, his blue circle turning to yellow as he pressed the pads of his fingers to his lips then turned to his friend, who sipped at his coffee and watched the cityscape through the calm world of the shop. 

It seemed to be two worlds, separated by the pane of glass, Nico thought. While the city was bustling and accentuated with umbrellas, this place was quiet—other than the gentle music that filtered through every corner of the shop—and smelled of warmth. He turned to face his android, who had been unusually quiet for awhile, to tell him that they should have been leaving so they could open up shop at a decent time. Percy looked at him in curiosity, as if observing him. 

Percy wanted to kiss him, but it was an inopportune time. He would figure a particular time where everything was perfect, like in the movies Percy poured over like the rain in Detroit. Nico cast a gentle smile in his direction before abruptly standing and informing him it was time to leave. 

On their short venture back to the shop, Percy couldn't help but think Nico was a ethereal creature, gentle and kind and caring. He wondered how would his lips feel pressed against his. He already had the pleasure of curling up next to him at night, although the reason was to keep warm. Nico's hair was soft and his eyes held so much infatuation for everything he did. Percy couldn't help but want to make him his own. 

He thought of this moment as he tore down the rainy streets of Detroit, the halos of streetlights lighting his path to Nico. He heard the wailing of sirens, the blaring of horns and the roars of engines. He heard the rain pattering on the pavements, the blades of a pursuing helicopter chuffing, and the rumble of the subways beneath his feet. He analyzed all his options of where to run. 

He made a turn in a dark alleyway once he saw the searchlight of the helicopter darting around the streets. He knew it was looking for him, but he tore on anyway. Deviant or not, Nico's safety was more important, no matter if the procedure was done in the proper way. There was no proper way to ensure the safety of citizens in this situation, he thought, other than to dive in and find them as swiftly as possible. 

The rain, at least, made it harder for those in vehicles to see. Their perceptions would not be as sharp as if the weather was clear, and Percy was taking advantage of that. As he climbed a fire escape to climb on top of the ancient-looking building, he hid himself and watched the helicopter whir by, the searchlight scanning the streets on ahead, and the squad cars were quick to follow. He grinned victoriously as he hopped down from the precipice, landing gracefully on his feet, and he began to run in the opposite direction to the scene at which Nico had vanished from the face of the earth. 

The dark stain on the pale concrete in his sights, he ran toward it and searched for a sign, anything at all, for Nico's hidden location. Through the rain, something shiny soon caught his eye. He kneeled over the gravel and picked it up, examining the piece in between two fingers. It seemed to be a chip, he concluded, patterned with cyber vectors. It was small, but he thought it meant at least something. He swiftly pocketed it as he heard footsteps approach. 

As lights went by, he evaded them by ducking in the darkness, cloaked by the shadows and stone walls. Once he ensured that they had left, he decided to examine the chip more, seeing a small, punctilious inscription on it: “A.R.A.S”. It was unfamiliar, and all quick searches came up blank, so he concluded it must have been an obscure organization. Perhaps that this little piece of metal would be the answer to all his questions. 

A bright light violently shone on him, slicing through the drops of rain, and he jumped, startled, before cowering. Through the light, he could see the edges of a familiar face. 

"Officer, please," he pleaded. "I really need to do this. He's my friend, and while I do want all the help I could use, doing it your way might endanger him..." 

"I know," barked Officer di Angelo, pressing the button of his flashlight in attempt to be unobtrusive. "I don't trust this Cyberlife—not with me, not with my family. But, I can't do it alone. While I don't approve of androids, you might be the best bet I got. As much as I hate to say this, I need your help." 

Percy nodded, a small smile gracing his lips. "Come. I think I found something of some worth." 

The high wailing of sirens penetrated the air, denoting that it was time for the two of them to abscond from the scene. 

"This better be worth it," grumbled Officer di Angelo to himself as they evaded through a labyrinth of buildings. It was risky, he knew, but he had to do this for Nico, the only family he had left.


	10. Chapter 10

I sat alone in the darkness with only the cold metal of the cage to keep me company. I had given up the idea of trying to escape right away, and, instead, I was going to try to make a run for it when the person came to give me food. Otherwise, I had no hope of escape. 

I had no idea what kept me here, or why. I only heard one voice once, and it belonged to a male, and the only coherent phrase he said was something to do with some "A.R.A.S." I didn't understand what significance it had, but I knew it was important. 

My stomach growled as I attempted to satiate my overwhelming boredom. I desperately missed home. I appreciated hot showers, soft pillows, and warm blankets too little, I realized. I closed my eyes and wished for it all back. I wished that my incarceration was all part of a lucid dream that I would soon wake from, a cold sweat dripping down my forehead and Percy at my side, comforting me. He would stroke my hair and hold me tightly, telling me that everything would be all right. I would believe him, and I would fall back asleep in his warm embrace. I would tell him that I loved him back. 

He must be hating himself right now, I thought. He must be beating himself up over what he did wrong and how he would correct it. It wasn't his fault; I knew that, but he would blame himself for everything because that was the type of person he was. He avoided small mistakes as if they would end his life. He was a robot, not a human, but he acted like one. He was just as human as I was, in my opinion, and he would come after me, no matter what. Because he told me he loved me, and I trusted him. It was all I could do, I supposed, to lie around here until my opportunity arose, and I could make a run for it. To wait for help, then make my great escape. 

I didn't know who these "A.R.A.S." were, nor did I realize why I was being kept in a cage, locked away from the world. I only knew that their reasons were malignant and cruel, and that was enough to make me not trust them. Would I be killed? Only if I didn't make it out of here. I may have been the damsel in distress, but I wasn't going to go without a fight. I wasn't a useless protagonist with no goals nor clichéd actions, I was a captured person who would aspire to fight back against a cruel society with mean-spirited values. 

I decided I would wait. I couldn't tell what time of day it was, as I'd been locked in the darkness for long hours. I wished to see the sky. Was it raining, with the refreshing smell and the gentle pitter-patter on the pavement? Were white flakes slowly descending from the clouds, gradually covering the ground in a white blanket that sparkled when the sun shone upon it? Was the night sky clear and covered with stars? Would you be able to see a comet, or were there no stars to be seen? Was it early morning, with the vapors of hot coffee filling the thick air and pleasant smells of freshly baked goods wafting through the streets, or was the air full of exhaust smoke and smog? It seemed as even if it were a starless, ominous night with pollution in the air, I would much prefer it to my cramped quarters, with a concrete floor to sleep upon and nothing left to look forward to rather than my savior, whether it be myself or my beloved android. I rolled my eyes. Since when was I so sentimental? 

Resignedly, I stared at the dark ceiling, my hands folded over my rib cage as I sighed, hoping that I would wake in my warm bed the next morning, with an android at my side and comfort in my heart.

  
△ ▽ △ ▽ △ ▽ △ ▽  


When Percy first dreamt, he dreamt of brisk morning air, a cloudy sky, and Nico's hand in his own as they strolled down the crowded sidewalks of Detroit, on their usual trek back from the café to prepare for the long day ahead of them. Nico distractedly sipped at a warm cup of mocha, his cheeks flushed and his ears red beneath his knitted hat. Percy smiled at him gently, a warmth in his chest that he felt around him more often, with more magnitude each time. 

If it was a simulation of actions he had seen, he hadn't noticed. He merely kept Nico's hand in his own as he sipped coffee. 

It seemed so surreal that Percy knew it couldn't have been reality. There was a mystified edge to his visions, and it almost made him feel disappointed, but he couldn't find it in himself to be malcontented when this Nico, even if he wasn't the real one, was so close to him. He was practically leaning into his hold, and he didn't mind it at all. He felt flustered, even, but that couldn't mask the joviality leaping out of him. 

The walk seemed longer, slower. Nico looked up at him with congenial, brown eyes through dark eyelashes, his pink lips curled into a warm smile, and Percy decided he never wanted to leave this vision. He wanted Nico at his side, his hand in his own, as they walked along all the winding sidewalks the city had to offer. 

When he woke up, he faced the ceiling of the living room of Nico's apartment. The only warmth that greeted him was the embrace of the modest couch that took the role of his bed. He felt empty, like something was missing in his artificial life. It was an unfamiliar sensation, altogether, this feeling of loneliness and dissatisfaction. The connection between people that he had seen in movies on the screen at the café, he wanted it with a force that appalled him. Was it his programming, he questioned, or was it something more? Was it a defect? The thought of being sent back to the factory to be repaired made him ache inside. All these memories of Nico, as platonic as they were, all these experiences, he didn't to lose them, nor replace them. So, he remained silent, deciding to admire the gentle creature from afar, instead. 

A shake on the shoulder snapped the android from his reverie, and he remembered his situation. The two were looking for a safe place to hide from the predators who were searching for them, to take them into custody, and, in result, exterminate him. 

Nico's father, a stern-faced, middle-aged police officer forcefully pulled him back into the shadows so he could narrowly avoid a bright light darting past them. Officer di Angelo keeled over, his hands on his knees with shallow pants. He surely wasn't getting any younger, but they needed to continue on.

It was Cyberlife, Percy knew. While he wasn't a Deviant yet, he still went against his orders, and, he knew, that he would divert from the path of obedience into one of crime, and in that time, he suspected he would lose the humanity he once cherished. He feared this, as he could fight against his internal sense of justice and turn on the one he loved the most. He would just be a criminal, with no purpose but to run from everything he adored. What would happen to Nico, then? Would he waste away? What if he was already dead? No, he couldn't afford to think like that; not now, when he strayed so far from the path for him. Not when there was so much farther he was willing to go just to see his smile again. 

"The library, you said?" Officer di Angelo asked. "Why?"

"No one would think to look for us there, would they?"

He did not have an answer, but he could not deny that it wasn't a terrible idea. They navigated and maneuvered through dark alleyways and conspicuous buildings. While the lights had passed them long ago, they still thought exercising caution was an asset they could afford, and it was better to utilize it to its full ability than not. 

As the two men disappeared in the shadows, Percy felt the raindrops on his skin and hoped.


	11. Chapter 11

The floor was cold, I discerned, as I tried to sleep for the first time since my detainment. I sat, propped up against the thin bars of my prison with my eyes closed, chasing the idea of sleep, but every detail was prominent, seemingly leaping out of nowhere for the sole purpose of causing me discomfort. 

I suddenly noticed that the floor was cold and hard, and the bars were biting into my skin and catching my hair when I turned to a new position in a fruitless attempt to find comfort and ease. The place was too dark, too quiet, and not nearly warm enough without Percy there. I didn't know if it was night or day at this point, but I was too tired to care. I just tossed and turned in my cage, the aggravating silence tempting me into uneasiness. It was just too quiet to be natural, I thought. I desired the sounds of the cars racing past and the loud noises of the city. Where was I, in this strange place that was immune to the comforting noises of Detroit? 

The door opened, the blade of light slicing through the darkness raising my hopes. I sat up in my cage, looking at the dark figure that walked solemnly over, but it didn't appear that he was carrying anything. Confusion usurped my hopefulness, and I suddenly felt afraid. I scooted as far away from the man as I could as he kneeled and tried to reach into my cage. 

"I'm not gonna hurtcha," he said, in a big, burly voice, as if he was talking to a small animal. 

I only leaned further into the wall of the cage, the coldness of the metal biting my skin. 

"Fine, be that way," he said, defeatedly. He opened the cage door fully, and I saw my chance. 

I dove toward the door, narrowly dodging his legs and reaching arms. He shouted after me in frustration, but I continued to run. The lights in the hallway lit up as I ran, and I cursed the system. It left a trail for which direction I ran, but I didn't give up hope. The lights faded in the distance as I kept going, headed to an unknown location. I searched for a telltale sign that denoted an exit, but none were to be seen. 

I evaded a group of charging men from a tributary corridor, but they were not fast, nor were they lithe enough to keep up with me. While I was not the strongest, I could run quickly for a long time, I acknowledged. I silently thanked myself for all those morning runs I took in the spring and summer. 

I hid around an obscure corner in the darkness, hearing another group of men stampede by. They were androids, probably. It could be indicated from their glowing eyes and seemingly controlled mannerisms. I held my hands over my mouth to muffle my breathing from their supersonic hearing and, when they were long gone down the corridor, I emerged, running off into a direction I assumed led to the outside.

I pushed open a door that looked promising, only to stop in my tracks. The room was filled with cells, resembling a prison. They held bathrooms and beds and several people, there must have been around 15, all squinting at the light, at me. I stepped backwards hesitantly, shocked, and turned to run back, but two large men towered over me. 

"Well, saved me the efforts of carrying him," the man from before laughed. 

The fluorescent blue eyes stared into my soul as I tried to dart past, but to no avail. They snatched up my thin body in their meaty arms, carrying me off to one of the cells. I kicked and struggled and screamed. I even bit one of them, but it only earned me a slap across the face. My face stung from the impact as I was thrown into a cell, the sound of the metal cage shutting and the deadbolt locking echoing throughout the vast room. I held my face and my rear, throbbing from my rough landing as I watched the burly men leave. Their menacing, rhythmic footsteps clacked, and the light from the room soon extinguished as the large door shut behind them. 

I collapsed onto the bed, sobbing. I just ran deeper into their clutches by trying to escape. What a pathetic, useless protagonist I was. I probably was never going to escape. Percy would never find me. I was doomed to whatever they planned to do with me. 

I heard several whispers amongst the inhabitants that had been here a lot longer than I had. I was just another one, captured and isolated from the world. I pulled a flat pillow over my head, trying to muffle out everything. Their voices, my sobbing, reality. There was no hope for me, for any of us. We were all trapped here, and we all knew it. 

  
△ ▽ △ ▽ △ ▽ △ ▽

"Are you sure this is legal?" Percy asked worriedly as he kept watch for their pursuers 

Hades knelt on the black asphalt, which shone under the lights of streetlamps from the rain, determinedly picking the lock to the library. The knees of his uniform pants were darkened from the wet ground. 

"Aren't there cameras?" 

"Already disabled," the rogue police officer told him, examining the lock further. "Stop your whining, it's not my first rodeo." 

His eyebrow raised curiously, he opened his mouth to speak. 

"It's just an expression," Hades said, irritatedly.

Percy decided to keep quiet to avoid aggravating the man any further. Instead, he focused on his surroundings, on the noises that surrounded him. Over the sounds of cars whirring by, he listened for the telltale sounds of sirens or footsteps. He didn't hear any, but he remained alert. 

The lock opened with a click! and Hades' tense body relaxed. He was relieved, but still cautious. 

"Come on," he called to the android, who stood at the street corner. 

"How did you disable the cameras?"

He gestured to a power grid. "That."

Percy nodded, and the two disappeared inside the darkness of the library. He was still on edge, despite Hades' assurances that they were undetected. What if they triggered an alarm, or the cameras were not connected to the main power grid as a precaution. They weren't to steal anything; they would only reside there until the coast was clear. 

Hades clicked a button, and a blade of light sliced through the darkness. He gestured with his head to follow him. He obeyed. 

They navigated through empty tables, vacant chairs, and various bookshelves, aimed for the back of the library, to the tablets and technological desks. 

They sat in plastic chairs and felt their tension relieve. 

"Now, we have some leads to the kidnappers. Did you see anything imperative at the crime scene?" 

Percy nodded, reaching into one of his shallow shirt pockets and presenting him the chip he found, lying in the gravel. The light shone off it, emphasizing the letters written on it. 

"A.R.A.S.?" 

"Have you heard of anything like it?"

Hades held a thoughtful look on his face before shaking his head. "No." 

"Who are your leads?" 

"Are you... hooked up to the internet?"

"Yes." 

"Which network." 

"A modem of my own." 

"Good. WiFi connection is traceable, so we won’t be long. I can log you into our database from here, I believe. Don't do anything suspicious with it." 

"I won't." 

He told Percy the information he needed, and he followed each step before they were successfully connected. 

"I'm in," the android informed him. 

"Good. Those are our suspects."

"They're all androids." 

"Exactly. That's why Cyberlife is getting involved. I don't want their android detectives mishandling the situation and making it worse. They could kill him, you know."

"Kill Nico?"

"Yeah." 

A cold look of determination froze Hades' soul. It looked as if he held actual emotion in his eyes, rather than programmed expressions and empty coding. 

"I won't let that happen. Ever." 

The police officer shook off his stupor. Androids didn't have emotion. They couldn't feel. It was programmed dialogue. It just had to be. Either that, or science had gotten somewhere they'd never been able to tread before, and a place where they should have never looked. But, that was impossible. There was no way that android could feel emotions, or say what he wished. If that was the case, he would have been human, but he wasn't. He was a bucket of nuts and bolts and wires, who his son purchased to help him and be his friend, or even more. He was his best choice to save Nico's life, so he would have to grin and bear it, even if this android was probably used for... _intimate_ purposes. 

He sighed. Why couldn't his son find a real man instead? To his great dismay, the artificial one who sat before him was the one who would help him save his son, and he couldn't afford to feel contempt for him. Even if he was an android, something that took over human jobs and took the roles of wives and husbands for many, who just weren't right, he was his only option if he wanted to see Nico again. He knew that.


	12. Chapter 12

They remained in the darkness for another hour as Percy looked into the case further for any indication who "A.R.A.S." was, or where the victims were held. Nico was in there, somewhere, among the others. He needed to find the motivations of his kidnapper, or, more importantly, his location. 

"Mr. di Angelo," Percy spoke up, bringing the man from his thoughts. 

"What? What?" he snapped in his gruff voice, annoyed. 

"These victims, they all have a connection." 

"What is it?" 

"They're all business owners." 

"We knew that!" 

"No, it's not just that. They all have records of purchasing androids within the past six months." 

Hades' head perked up from his words. 

"And didn't you say that your suspects are all deviant androids?"

"Yes." 

"So, would it be possible that these androids are gathering up people who use androids for labor and using them to spark a revolt?" 

"Androids can't do that by themselves. They can't feel oppressed because they can't feel." 

"But they are deviating from their code to..."

Hades held up his finger, his eyes widened with realization.

"Someone might be orchestrating it, behind the scenes." 

"Yes, but..." 

"They organize these androids to kidnap the people, because deviants can't be traced or leave DNA evidence. Then, they keep all the victims hidden in an inconspicuous place." 

"But, then what purpose do the victims serve in the revolution if they're hidden?" 

"They make a statement. Therefore, none of them will be seen until they want them to be seen. Which, more importantly, means they don't die until they want them to." 

"Then, you're saying Nico will die." "He might," Hades said, standing from his chair, "if we're not quick enough. C'mon, let's go." 

"Wait, what about the chip? Do you think it might reveal some important information?" 

"Can't. The tablets with chip insertion slots are hooked up to the main power grid, and turning that on will denote our location. Can't we just put it in you?" 

Percy shook his head. "It might contain a virus, and Nico took me in for repairs not too long ago. It's too risky. I might shut down." 

Hades sighed, frustratedly. "Fine. I'll power up the tablet desks. Disable the cameras." 

Percy nodded as Hades turned and went back into the rain with his flashlight. He picked up a chair and began to hit a camera with all his might, severing the wiring that powered the camera, as well as damaging the system as a whole. It took too long, and Hades would find the switch to turn on the power grid soon. He located all the cameras in the building and quickly retraced the wires back to its powering system, where he cut the wires, thus disabling all the cameras. He smiled proudly at his work as he watched the cameras fall limp against the wall. The lights on the tablet computers turned on, coloring the white ceiling blue. 

Hades came back in quickly as Percy situated himself at one of the tablet desks, logging in on an anonymous account and server. He reluctantly inserted the chip into the slot, allowing the device to read it. The only file on the chip was a HTML address, which led to a website. He opened the file, reading the title of the website. 

"'Androids Revolt Against Society,'" Hades read aloud. "A.R.A.S." 

"Couldn't they have come up with a more creative name?" Percy asked. 

"It gets the point across," Hades said, watching Percy's fingers scroll down on the page and try to decode the information. He found an icon that looked promising, subtitled "Locations." He tapped it, but it brought up a password screen. That denoted he was getting closer to finding Nico, as it was classified information. 

"This page requires a passcode."

"Guess something."

Percy typed in a few numbers, but it didn't accept. 

"Let me try." 

Percy handed him the tablet desk. Hades tried multiple codes before the screen turned red. 

"What's happening?" 

Percy detected a small, barely audible beeping noise, deriving from the chip. 

"There's a detonator. It's going to self-destruct." 

The warning sign flashed repeatedly on the screen, the beeping increasing in frequency and speed. 

Percy dove onto the police officer, knocking him out of his chair. The impact sent the tablet out of his hands and to the floor. 

Percy pushed over a table, pulling it towards the surprised police officer and himself to act as a shield, knowing what was to come. The detonator reached its limit and the tablet desk burst into flames. The fire collided with the inner mechanisms of the tablet desk, causing an explosion in its wake. The tablet sent shards of fire and glass across the room, ricocheting off the table. 

The carpet caught fire, and, soon, the whole building was engulfed in bright orange flames. 

The smoke detector went off, as did the sprinkler system, but its attempts to extinguish the increasing flames were futile. 

Hades began to convulse, and Percy knew he was asphyxiating from the smoke. 

"C'mon, lets get out of here," Percy told him, lifting him from the ground and onto his back. 

He looked around his fiery surroundings for an exit, seeing the door they had came in through. Slowed by the other man's weight, he made his way to the door. The hot metal of the door seared his artificial skin, and he winced, looking down at his hand to see the blackened flesh and mechanisms beneath, but he chose to not care. He pushed open the door with the sole of his shoe twice before it swung open, and threw the suffocating man onto the wet pavement. He rushed to him, pulling him away from the scene of the fire. He inspected the suffocating man, who was gasping for air. Worriedly, he tried to help him breathe. 

A series of explosions sounded, as the remainder of the tablet desks couldn't handle the heat. Soon, the other side of the door was quiet, except for the sounds of flickering flames. Glass windows burst, tongues of fire licking the rain. 

"Why can't you breathe!" Percy shouted as he watched the man continue to gasp from lack of air. 

He reached into the man's pocket and searched for anything that could help him. He found a strange tube that looked like a whistle with a small bottle attached to it. He scanned it, and found it to be an inhaler. 

He helped him sit up and held it to his lips, and he took it in his own hand and inhaled. He took a puff every few seconds before he was able to control his breathing on his own. 

Percy sighed in relief as he watched the man on the ground gather himself, his slowed breathing ragged and punctuated with coughs and sputters. He reached to help the man, but he was waved off. He waited quietly until he was breathing normally. 

Hades stared at the flames pouring out of the windows of the library before sighing. 

"It's a minor setback," he said. "Let's go. The fire department will be here soon." 

Percy nodded as they continued on into the darkness of the city, the rain having stopped, but the clear wails of sirens sounded in the distance. They absconded into an inconspicuous alleyway, a tributary to the large river that was Detroit. 

Before long, the two men climbed a fire escape to a large building, its windows dark and dead to the world. The metal of the ladder rungs was cold and wet beneath Percy's seared hands, but he ignored it as he followed the older man up to a balcony. As Percy stood atop the landing, the entire city in all its glory was presented before him, glimmering and twinkling below like a sea of bright lights and colors. Percy's eyes opened in amazement of the beautiful sight that was before him. 

Hades sat down on the floor of the balcony, his legs dangling over the edge as he observed the city. 

"You see that?" 

"Hmm?" Percy jolted out of his daze of wonder. He turned to face the police officer, whose eyes never left the beautiful city below them. 

"That's Detroit. It's a cesspool of crime and waste, but it will always be home." 

Hades patted the cold, grated metal on him, gesturing for Percy to sit beside him. He obeyed, fitting his legs between the rails of the balcony and watching the beautiful city blow.

"It's home," Percy tested on his tongue. 

There was a comfortable silence between the two of them before the older man spoke up. 

"You know, you saved my life back there. I would have died if it weren't for you, with the table and the fire..." 

Percy smiled slightly, facing him. "Don't worry about it." 

Hades nodded. "Th—" he cleared his throat. "Um, thank you." 

Percy smiled, "You're welcome." 

They sat there in silence, watching the vitality of Detroit. It was almost a living creature that moved and breathed its life onto the cars and lights that lived on it. Percy looked down on the city wistfully. If it could live and breathe, why couldn't he? 

He thought that if he did manage to bring Nico back, what would happen? Would Nico love him, or would he look for another person to enjoy their company? Nico said it himself, he was a human, while Percy was an android. Could they ever truly be together? What if he was a human? Would Nico love him, then? 

He shook off the thought before looking up at the stars and imagined Nico looking back at him. 

"Don't worry, Nico," he whispered to the stars, hoping that somewhere, somehow, Nico could be alive and waiting for him to come and save him from his predicament. "I will find you."


	13. Chapter 13

Percy was standing in the middle of the street in Detroit, but, strangely, no cars were rushing past or honking their horns. Lights flashed around him, coloring the city multifarious tints of green, pink, blue, and yellow. 

The world around him was still and silent, as if he was standing in a painting. He took a look around, watching for any helicopters or airplanes flying past, but there was none to be seen. 

Suddenly, Nico stood before him, wind rustling his dark hair. Percy jolted, startled before he sighed, relieved that his love was safe. He smiled and reached for him, but Nico drew away, flinching from his touch. 

Percy revoked his hand as if he had hurt him, surprised by his reaction. Nico looked at him, fear plaguing his gentle eyes before he was quickly pulled away by an invisible force. Percy chased after him. He called out his name as he reached for him, trying to pull him to safety. When he touched his skin, the air rippled like water. The lights smeared and liquefied, seemingly evaporating from the air and into the sky. He watched the swirl of colors envelop Nico, swallowing him whole, and he disappeared. Where he once stood was now vacant pavement. He looked around the melting buildings and looked for anyone else, but he was alone. 

He woke with a jolt, feeling the rain pour harshly on his face. He had gone into battery saving mode against his will, he noticed, as he sat up stiffly from the wet, cold metal he had rested on. He watched the lights of Detroit glow, safe from his strange visions. He sighed in relief before wiping the rain from his face. 

He stared down at the city as if he was looking at it for the first time, astounded by its strange beauty from a different angle. He heard horns honking and cars whooshing through the puddles on the streets, sending a splatter of dirtied rain onto the pavements nearby. 

He looked over at Hades, who took refuge under the sloping roof of the apartment building. Only stray drops had touched him, but they did not disturb him. He removed his own jacket and draped it over the man's sleeping body before he returned to the rails and continued to watch the cars rush by, flashing their bright lights and adding to the life that Detroit had to offer. Detroit was a city that never slept. It must've been tired, Percy joked to himself. 

He shook his head and brushed off the drops of rain that coated his jacket—a black coat that denoted him an android. It marked him, as if he was supposed to be distinguished from the rest. Why? It was like they were putting a brand on androids, like cattle. They were a tool used to help humankind, that was it. Their own interests were not of any use, so they were swept under the rug. 

He shook from his stupor. That kind of thinking made one turn to Deviancy, and he didn't want that. However, if he remained a compliant android, a good robot, Cyberlife could have tracked them down. Why haven't they found him? He had been sitting in the same spot for well over an hour, and there were no flashing lights that meant his capture and, as a result, his dismemberment. He would be made into a good robot that listened to the authorities and let them solve their case on their own. But, what if the way they did it was wrong? However, if becoming a Deviant made him lose his humanity, he did not want to risk it. 

Hades stirred in his sleep and woke, looking at the warm coat that protected him from the wandering drops of cold precipitation. He sat up, peeling the coat from his warm body, and draped it over the android's shoulders, which jolted him out of his thoughts. 

"You really want to find him, huh?" he asked, looking off into the distance. 

Percy nodded. "Don't you?" 

"Of course, I do," Hades told him, scratching the back of his head. "I just... I don't know what to do. We lost our lead. And there's no way to track these Deviant androids, as they are untraceable. What do you think?" 

Percy racked his brain, searching for a line of action. Nico was the most important thing in the world to him. He had to find him, no matter what. But he didn't know how. 

"I'm not sure. I just know we need to find him. We can find our way, if we look in the right places." 

He stood, revoking his legs from in between the rails of the balcony. 

"Well, let's find him," Percy said. "We don't have all the time in the world." 

Hades smiled slightly. "I'm too old for this," he muttered to himself. 

Percy shook his head amusedly before he climbed his way down the ladder and back onto the streets. 

  
△ ▽ △ ▽ △ ▽ △ ▽  


I sat on the cold, hard bed in my cell, eating a slice of stale bread when the door opened. Another person was dragged out of their prison, kicking and screaming and flailing. I watched them with tired eyes as they were pulled from the room. The heavy door closed behind them, and all of the light was gone. 

He was the third. I didn't know what they were planning to do with us. If this was a The Most Dangerous Game situation, I wasn't sure what I'd do. I'd probably die. After I watched two other people—one male one female, and now another male—be removed from their cells, I was sure they were going to kill us. I wasn't sure why. My eyes now knew only darkness, and they craved the light. 

I wiped the remainder of the crumbs from my chin, where some stubble began to peak out. I wished I could shave. All those luxuries I had, I took them for granted. I wanted a soft pillow to rest my head on, a hot shower, or some deodorant, at least. I wanted lotion to keep my skin soft. I wanted a comfortable bed that I never would want to crawl out of, a custard-filled donut topped with chocolate frosting. Most of all, I wanted my android at my side, kissing me and keeping me warm. 

A cold gust of air hit my arms, and I shivered, feeling at the goosebumps forming on my skin. I stank of sweat and body odor, and I was desperate for any sort of bathing. I was scared. We all were. Even though days had passed, none of them had spoken to me. I felt alone, afraid, like a rabbit shivering in a corner, surrounded by snarling, foamy-mouthed coyotes. If I survived, I knew I would never want to feel alone again.


	14. Chapter 14

As usual, Detroit was filled with life. Traffic lights flashed and cars whirred by the two of them as they strolled down the sidewalks. Unlike the night before, no rain fell down onto the city. Instead, the sun shined violently in the sky, weighing down on people's shoulders with its heavy heat. 

Percy gripped his jacket closely to his body as Hades and he waded through the crowd of people waiting to cross the street. They were on their way to a mini mall to determine where that chip came from. Fortunately, Percy scanned the chip completely before they inserted it into the tablet desk, which resulted in the library's demise—they heard chattering about it in the streets and broadcasted on the news, but, fortunately, they were not identified as the perpetrators. The news described them as "two unidentified assailants," and blurry images of them in the dark were shown. 

Now, they were on their way to gather more information, and, eventually, find the location of the hostages. 

The cluster of stores were separated from the rest of the city with its stone brick walkways, giving the area a sophisticated, urban chic appearance. A functional fountain, shaped in an ornate fashion, was flowing, contributing to the ambience of the mini mall. Percy stared at it in wonder before Hades dragged him along. 

A man strummed at his guitar, a sign below him advertising that he was a human musician, therefore his music had "soul." Percy wondered if that made a difference to how it sounded. He raised his eyebrows as they continued to stroll down a shaded walkway, lined with discreet stores Percy never saw on advertisement boards in the city. They looked on both sides of the walkway before they found the one they were searching for: _"Valdez Mech Wares: Repairs, Maintenance, Optimization._ " 

They entered the store, the glass door swinging open automatically, a counter and a woman awaiting them. 

She looked around 35, her mocha-brown hair pulled back into a neat ponytail. She had a rugged look to her, like she grew up in a garage, but it fit her nicely. She acknowledged them with a pleasant smile, warmth radiating off her caramel skin. 

The shop smelled like an engine shop would: the pungent scent of oil and the metallic scent of steel filled the air. Sunlight soaked into the small shop that didn't seem like it belonged in a strip mall near downtown Detroit. A large houseplant with reaching tendrils was placed on a side table in a terra-cotta pot in an attempt to make the shop appear more homey, but Percy thought it looked out of place. Behind the counter was a clutter of tools, software, materials, and other miscellaneous objects that seemingly lied there without purpose. Percy felt urged to tidy it up, but he wasn't sure that the cordial woman would appreciate it. 

"Welcome, welcome," she greeted as the door closed automatically behind them. "Is there anything I can get for you?" 

"Yes, Esperanza," Hades said, getting straight to the point. 

By the call of her name, she knew his affiliations. She looked up at him expectantly, her smile that radiated sunlight fading from her lips. He pulled out his badge and showed it to her. "We need you to identify the origins of a chip." 

She nodded, her posture straightening as she rested her palms on the countertop. "What kind of chip?" 

Hades turned to his companion, who wore a puzzled look as he sifted through his recorded memories. Eventually, the one with the chip's information pulled up, and he recited what he read to the woman behind the desk. She rushed for a pen to scrawl it down on a discarded receipt. 

She rushed over to her computer, pulling up a program. 

"This would be accomplished very quickly if you brought the tangible chip," she informed them, "but as you don't possess one, it might take a bit longer. Is that fine with you?" 

"How much longer?" asked Hades. 

"Not very long. I would say about half an hour to two hours, if it's heavily encrypted." 

Percy bit his lip, disappointed by the short delay, but he didn't object. 

When she received no response, she nodded, continuing to tap at the tablet computer. 

Percy spent some of the time scrolling through a book that was left on one of the tables that explained studies of current events considering the controversy of androids and their presence in society, and how it affected humans as a whole. 

Soon, she printed out a progress sheet that named the location of origin of the chip and handed it to the police officer. He frowned as he examined the sheet. 

"This is CyberLife Headquarters," he said. 

She nodded as she cleared her history. Even if she was affiliated with the police force's research, it could reflect badly on her already decreasing business if she was arrested for unauthorized investigation of an accused criminal corporation with heavy ties in existing, well-established criminal justice branches. "It seems so." 

"There must be a mistake," Percy said. 

Hades offered him the sheet, and he examined it further, only to come up with the same conclusion. 

"Impossible."

Hades sighed. "Well, at least we know where it came from. CyberLife may be connected with this A.R.A.S. somehow." 

"The A.R.A.S. is a society for Deviants, while CyberLife is the leading advocate for Deviant extermination and dismantlement." 

"Which is why it'd be perfect that the A.R.A.S. bloomed up right beneath their noses. The safest place to be is in the heart of the lion's den, or, the lions may be protecting them with their title."

"We need to gather some evidence," Percy began for the door, but the police officer stopped him by putting out his arm. 

"Whoa, whoa, easy, Tiger. If it were that easy to walk right into CyberLife, we could've done it. We need tons of pre-approval paperwork: something we can't obtain without official permission for investigating this case." 

"Then how do we do it?" 

"We need to form a plan." 

Percy nodded. The two of them left the store, waving Esperanza Valdez goodbye. She wished them good luck.


	15. Chapter 15

The square was crowded as Percy and Hades sat on the fountain wall, spewing recycled water in enormous, wispy sprays, reflecting all the colors of the light shining down on them. People of all backgrounds wandered before them, all with different thoughts and different places they needed to be. 

A billboard that advertised CyberLife's androids flashed proudly over a group of protesters, shouting anti-android slogans and statistics while wielding cardboard signs. The human musician's guitar strummed over the gentle pouring of the fountain. Footsteps and fragments of conversation filled the city air. Percy would have watched them with fascination, but they had a job to fulfill. 

His eyes darted up every once and awhile to scan their surroundings and incoming threats. 

"Is anyone coming?" Hades murmured. 

"Not yet." 

Hades nodded as he drew out figures and possible plans. 

"Do you have a plan?" Percy asked. 

"Not sure yet. Drones and stuff. Are you agile enough?" 

"I am." 

"Then, we will be having lots of fun near the headquarters. It's heavily guarded, but it won't be an issue. We just won't be seen." 

"Are you capable of that, Officer di Angelo?" 

He raised an eyebrow. 

"You have exercise-induced asthma." 

He waved it off. "I know. I won't be breathing hard because I won't be running that much. We'll need to find a form of transportation to get there." 

"Like a patrol car?" 

"Something more discreet." 

He nodded as he glanced up again, scanning the area for any policemen on their trail. 

He caught sight of one, walking by casually on his patrol. 

He stood. "Look at me like you're asking me for information." 

Hades nodded, standing up with him and trying to look lost until the cop kept moving, noticing nothing out of order. 

Once it was all clear, the two of them absconded from the area. 

  
△ ▽ △ ▽ △ ▽ △ ▽  


My cell smelled like urine, but I got accustomed to it after awhile. The whispers, however, racked my skull. I didn't understand why no one would talk to me. I just heard the whispers taunting my mind. I just wanted it all to end. I didn't care how. 

I fisted my hair and curled up in a ball on the hard mattress, wanting to cry or scream, but I remained silent, letting my sanity slip from my fingers like smoke. 

The door opened, and I wondered who would be the next one to be dragged from their cell, kicking and screaming and begging for release. I held my breath as the androids strode past my cell, hoping that they'd forget that I was there and continue on. As I watched through the gaps of the bars, I realized that they began to stop at each cell. Was it food, or was it something more sinister? 

I gripped the tightly-drawn fabric that covered the mattress, but it snapped back into place, leaving my hands balled in fists. I felt my untrimmed fingernails leave crescents on my palms, but I made no movement to release my grip. 

One stood before my cell, a dark silhouette, standing there menacingly. I wanted to do something, anything, but I froze, my joints paralyzed with fear. He didn't speak a word to me. He just stood there, watching me. Neither of us made a move. 

I stood, approaching the cell door, not planning on leaving my cell without a fight. I was not sure what was to come after, but I could guarantee that this cell—rancid with urine and body odor and dirty—would be a treat compared to it. 

My fingers met with the cold metal of the bars that incarcerating me as I stared the android in the eyes. While I was still not sure what role I had in all of this, I knew that, after all of this, he would not kill me for being audacious. There would be no point in my confinement if he did. 

He was tall, about a head taller than me, with broad shoulders and an admirable physique that lots of men spent their whole lives desiring. I felt his gaze as it locked with mine. It felt familiar somehow, as if I met him before. He wasn't the one that chased me here, or the one that brought me food, but a sense of calmness flooded me, relief. I wasn't safe, but something about him comforted me. 

I stared into his eyes, his hand wrapping around another bar. His figure leaned in, as if he was challenging me, but he didn't utter a word. Intimidation simmered to curiosity. 

My voice had grown hoarse from not speaking for so long, but I broke the silence. "Who are you?"

He seemed to be waiting for me to ask him something. I only received the familiar voice back, the warm, comforting one that spoke gentle words to me as he held me, keeping me warm, or called to me in the bookstore. 

"No one." 

My heart jumped into my throat. 

"Percy?" I whispered thankfully, leaning closer to the bars. All the things I wished to say to him rushed into my mind. Tears pooled in the corners of my eyes. "Percy." 

He seemed unsettled by my eagerness, detaching himself from the cell bars. 

"Percy? What's wrong?" I asked, disconcerted. "You've found me. I missed you, Percy." 

He shook his head. "I'm sorry."

"You don't need to be," I whispered. "It wasn't your fault. Please help me out of here." 

"I can't do that. It's against my orders." 

"What's wrong? What orders? I don't understand."

He sighed heavily. "You don't need to." 

I creased my eyebrows, tears threatening to pour down my cheeks. My voice was broken. "Percy, please. You love me, I know you do. Please help me." 

The sounds of cell doors slamming open echoed throughout the room. 

"I don't know what you're talking about." 

My legs quivered, threatening to fail beneath me. I locked my knees and clung to the bars tighter. 

My tears felt warm against my warm cheeks. "Percy..."

My door remained closed as others were dragged from the room. An unintelligible voice spoke behind the door before all the androids tilted their heads, as if they were listening to something. The hostages were dragged from the room, but the others remained, stationed in front of the remaining prisoners' cells. Percy's eyes stared into mine. I felt empty. 

"I love you."

His shoulders stiffened, but he stayed silent until the remaining androids were ordered to leave the room, abandoning the rest of us in darkness. Not a single prisoner taken from the room returned.


End file.
